Proceedings of the 41st European Microwave Conference
Design of Wideband Waveguide to Microstrip
Transition for 60 GHz Frequency Band
A. Artemenko, A. Maltsev, R. Maslennikov, A. Sevastyanov, V. Ssorin
Wireless Competence Center
Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
alexey.artemenko@wcc.unn.ru
Abstract— In this paper, design of a planar wideband waveguide
to microstrip transition for the 60 GHz frequency band is
presented. The designed transition is fabricated using standard
high frequency multilayer printed circuit board technology
RO4003C. The waveguide to microstrip transition provides low
production cost and allows for simple integration of the WR-15
rectangular waveguide without any modifications in the
waveguide structure. Results of electromagnetic simulation and
experimental investigation of the designed waveguide to
microstrip transition are presented. The transmission bandwidth
of the transition is equal to the full bandwidth of the WR-15
waveguide (50-75 GHz) for the -3 dB level of the insertion loss
that was achieved by special modifications in the general
aperture coupled transition structure. The transition loss is lower
than 1 dB at the central frequency of 60 GHz.
Keywords: waveguide to microstrip transition; millimeter-
wave band; printed circuits.
I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, there is an increased attention to different
communication systems operating in the millimeter-wave
band. For instance, a large license-exempt band around the 60
GHz frequency is very perspective for the WLAN/WPAN
communication systems due to the capability of providing the
very high data throughput up to several Gbps.
Planar microstrip technologies, including printed circuits
boards (PCBs) and ceramic substrates are widely used for
integration of different millimeter-wave devices (like
amplifiers, filters, antennas, etc.) for the WLAN/WPAN
transceivers. On the other side, test equipment for the
millimeter-wave band most commonly has waveguide
interface due to low loss and the capability for simple
integration of different devices. Hence, there is a demand for
high performance waveguide to microstrip transitions that
allow connecting microstrip devices to the test equipment. In
addition, waveguide to microstrip transitions are commonly
applied as part of millimeter-wave front-end systems, when
different waveguide devices like couplers, diplexers, filters,
antennas are required together with semiconductor microstrip
devices.
This paper presents design of a planar wideband waveguide
to microstrip transition for the 60 GHz frequency band based
on standard high frequency printed circuit board technology
RO4003C. The primary requirements for the designed
transition are low insertion loss, wide transmission bandwidth,
and insensitivity to manufacturing tolerances. Also the
designed waveguide to microstrip transition is supposed to
978-2-87487-022-4 © 2011 EuMA 838
allow for simple integration to the standard WR-15
rectangular waveguide without any modifications in the
waveguide structure that is used for many types of the
previously reported transitions [1-7].
The general aperture coupled patch type structure of the
presented waveguide to microstrip transition is based on
electromagnetic coupling using a resonant patch from the
rectangular waveguide to the microstrip line through a narrow
slot aperture in the ground plane [8-10]. Further, the transition
efficiency is enhanced by reach-through metal via holes
around the waveguide perimeter that extend the waveguide
walls into the multilayer PCB structure. The reach-through
metal via holes cannot be implemented in the area of the
microstrip feed line. It leads to the gap in the via holes on one
side of the waveguide. It is shown that the gap in the via holes
has a large impact on the transition performance.
The paper presents an electromagnetic analysis of the gap
in the via holes impact and proposes a modification in the
transition structure which allows eliminating the gap in the via
holes and, therefore, provides very wide transmission
bandwidth without an increase in complexity and fabrication
cost.
II. GENERAL WAVEGUIDE TO MICROSTRIP TRANSITION
STRUCTURE
Fig. 1 shows the general structure of the designed
waveguide to microstrip transition. The transition has 3 metal
layers: the resonant patch is located on the top PCB layer, the
ground plane with the narrow slot aperture, which provides
electromagnetic coupling between the waveguide and the
microstrip line, is located on the inner PCB layer, and the
microstrip line – on the bottom PCB layer. The dielectric
substrate for the transition is RO4003C (with dielectric
permittivity ε = 3.53 and tangent loss tanδ = 0.0058 at
60 GHz). The total PCB thickness is 0.66 mm while the
metallization thickness is 0.018 mm. All dimensions of the
patch, slot aperture, and WR-15 waveguide are shown in Fig.
1 in mm.
The metal via holes allow to extend the waveguide walls
into the PCB structure and to effectively place the resonant
patch inside the waveguide. It is shown in [8] that the pitch
between the via holes should be kept as small as possible.
Keeping the pitch small provides high efficiency of
electromagnetic coupling between the waveguide and the
microstrip line. In the designed waveguide to microstrip
10 -13 October 2011, Manchester, UK
transition, the via diameter is equal to 0.18 mm and the via
pitch is 0.38 mm.
Fig. 1. General waveguide to microstrip transition structure
The used structure allows providing a wide transmission
bandwidth of the transition without using additional parasitic
resonant patches (as considered, for example, in [9]) in the
case when blind via holes from the top metal layer to the
ground layer are used. Then accurate optimization of the
parameters allows achieving the bandwidth equal to the whole
WR-15 waveguide bandwidth with a single resonant patch.
However, the use of blind via holes leads to significant
increase in the PCB fabrication cost. Therefore, it is desired to
use reach-through via holes in the transition structure as it is
shown in Fig. 1. It may be seen from Fig. 1 that there is a gap
in the via holes in the area of the feed microstrip line in order
to avoid short circuiting of the line to the ground. It is obvious
that this gap has an impact in the transition performance.
Next Section III presents the electromagnetic investigation
results of the influence of the gap in the via holes on the
transition performance. Section IV suggests a simple way of
mitigating the gap influence without the use of blind via holes
and makes an analysis of the modified transition performance.
III. ELECTROMAGNETIC SIMULATIONS OF GENERAL
TRANSITION STRUCTURE
Simulations of the designed waveguide to microstrip
transition were performed using full-wave electromagnetic
simulator CST Microwave Studio. Simulations were
performed for different lengths of the gap in the via holes Lg
(from 0.8 to 1.4 mm). The simulated insertion loss (S21) and
return loss (S11) of the transition with different lengths of the
gap in the via holes Lg are shown in Fig. 2.
The simulated results show that for a small length of the
gap in the via holes Lg the transmission bandwidth of the
839
designed waveguide to microstrip transition is wide and the
insertion loss characteristic is smooth. However, for the gap
length greater than 0.8 mm a notch in the S21 curve is
observed. Fig. 2 shows that the notch increases in depth and
shifts to lower frequencies with the increase of the gap length.
For instance, the gap length of 1.4 mm leads to degradation of
the insertion loss from -0.5 dB to -4 dB at the 60.2 GHz
frequency. This effect significantly decreases the performance
of the designed transition in the band of interest.
Fig. 2. Simulated insertion loss (S21) and return loss (S11) of the transition with
different lengths of the gap in via holes
Fig 2 shows that the degradation of the insertion loss
cannot be completely attributed to the return loss behavior.
Some amount of spurious radiation from the waveguide wall
in the gap in the via holes region was observed during the
simulations. The efficiency of the spurious radiation increases
for large gap lengths. Thus, the degradation in the transition
performance can be explained by this spurious radiation from
the waveguide wall in the gap in the via holes region.
For the PCB structures with a small width of the microstrip
line (< 0.3 mm) providing the necessary characteristic
impedance, the gap in the via holes is also small and does not
degrade the transition performance. However, for the PCB
structures with a quite large width of the microstrip line (~ 0.4
– 0.5 mm or greater), the way of mitigating the gap influence
should be found.
 IV. MODIFIED WAVEGUIDE TO MICROSTRIP TRANSITION
STRUCTURE
A simple way to effectively eliminate the gap in the via
holes without an increase in complexity and fabrication cost is
to introduce an additional metal via hole right in the centre of
the feed microstrip line. This is possible in the considered
design since the width of the microstrip line is quite large
(0.45 mm). With this modification implemented, the via holes
are located around the whole perimeter of the rectangular
waveguide effectively extending the waveguide to the PCB
structure. In this case, it is only important to ensure that the
technological capabilities allow providing a guard metal-free
region around the via hole placed in the centre of the
microstrip line.
However, this metal-free region forms some inhomogenuity
in the microstrip line that should be evaluated and, if needed,
compensated by some circuit solution. For instance, widening
of the part of the microstrip line that is located under the
connected waveguide can be used for the compensation of this
inhomogenuity. The resulted bottom PCB layer structure of
the designed waveguide to microstrip transition with the
additional metal via hole in the centre of the microstrip line is
shown in Fig. 3. The microstrip line width under the
waveguide connection is extended and is equal to 0.9 mm.

Fig. 4. Simulated insertion loss S21 (a) and return loss S11 (b) of the modified
waveguide to microstrip transition with the additional metal via hole

V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
For experimental measurements of the designed waveguide
to microstrip transition, a PCB board with the back-to-back
transition was fabricated. The photograph of the fabricated
PCB board is shown in Fig. 5. The PCB substrate is low cost
Fig. 3. Bottom PCB layer structure of the designed waveguide to microstrip and low loss high frequency laminate RO4003C (ε = 3.53,
transition with the additional metal via hole in the centre of the microstrip line
tanδ = 0.0058 @ 60 ГГц) from Rogers. This material allows
Fig. 4 shows the electromagnetic simulation results using the standard PCB technology that is cost effective
obtained using CST Microwave Studio for the insertion loss comparing with the widespread (in the millimeter-wave band)
S21 and the return loss S11 of the modified waveguide to Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) technology but
microstrip transition with the additional metal via hole in the has very close technological capabilities.
centre of the microstrip line. It may be seen from Fig. 4 that
the designed transition provides very large transmission
bandwidth, which is equal to the bandwidth of the used
rectangular waveguide WR-15 (50 – 75 GHz). Furthermore,
the insertion loss curve is smooth and does not have notches
in the considered frequency band.
It may be seen from the simulations results that the
insertion loss in the designed transition is below 0.5 dB at the
central 60 GHz frequency. The transmission bandwidth for the
-1 dB S21 level is greater than 15 GHz (or 25 % relative Fig. 5. Photograph of the fabricated back-to-back transition
bandwidth), and for the whole waveguide band (50 – 75 GHz), The size of the fabricated PCB board is 50×20 mm2. The
the insertion loss is lower than -3 dB. distance between the two one-sided transitions is 30 mm that

840
is required for standard WR-15 waveguide flanges connection.
It is important to note that the propagation loss in the
microstrip line with the strip width of 0.45 mm and the length
of 30 mm is about 1.5 dB at the 60 GHz frequency.
Experimental measurements of the fabricated back-to-back
waveguide to microstrip transition were performed using a
sine-wave generator with the waveguide interface. The
generator was able to sweep the frequency in the range of 55-
62 GHz. In order to analyze the transmitted signal, spectrum
analyzer Agilent E4407B together with down-conversion
mixer Agilent 11970V were used.
The simulated and measured insertion loss S21 together with
the simulated return loss S11 for the designed back-to-back
waveguide to microstrip transition are shown in Fig. 6.
0
-5
-10
Magnitude, dB
-15
-20
-25
-30 Simulated S21
-35 Simulated S11
Measured S
21
-40
45 50 55 60 65 70 75
Frequency, GHz
Fig. 6. Simulated and measured insertion loss S21 together with the simulated
return loss S11 for the designed back-to-back transition
Fig. 6 shows that the measured transmission loss in the
designed waveguide to microstrip transition bandwidth is in
good accordance with the simulated results and is equal to 3.5
dB. The corresponding transmission loss obtained from
electromagnetic simulations is 2.5 dB. Hence, the
transmission loss in one-sided waveguide to microstrip
transition is not greater than 1 dB (with account of the 1.5 dB
loss in the microstrip line between the transitions). The ripples
amplitude in the measured insertion loss characteristic is about
1.5 dB that can be attributed to inaccuracy in the measurement
setup. Experimental investigations of a few PCB boards with
the back-to-back waveguide to microstrip transition have
shown the same average level of the transmission loss that
proves insensitivity of the design to manufacturing tolerances.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
In this work, a wideband waveguide to microstrip transition
for the 60 GHz frequency band is proposed. The designed
transition is based on electromagnetic coupling from a
rectangular waveguide to a microstrip line through a narrow
slot aperture in the ground plane. The standard PCB
technology was used for the transition design instead of the
LTCC technology widely considered in the millimeter-wave
band applications. The used PCB technology allows
841
significantly reducing the fabrication cost without
performance degradation. In order to provide a wide
transmission band, it is proposed to introduce an additional
reach-through via hole into the transition structure right in the
centre of the feed microstrip line that allows eliminating the
gap in the via holes disposed around the waveguide perimeter.
A back-to-back waveguide to microstrip transition was
fabricated on the PCB board for experimental investigation.
The measured results are in good accordance with the
simulated ones. Measurements of a few samples of the back-
to-back transition have shown close results that proves the
robustness to manufacturing tolerances.
The bandwidth of the designed waveguide to microstrip
transition is 25 GHz (~ 40%) for the -3 dB level of the
insertion loss that equals to the full transmission bandwidth of
the rectangular waveguide WR-15 (50-75 GHz). Herewith, the
loss in the one-sided waveguide to microstrip transition itself
is lower than 1 dB at the central frequency of 60 GHz.
The wide transmission bandwidth, low loss, insensitivity to
manufacturing tolerances, and a simple connection to the
standard waveguide allows using the designed waveguide to
microstrip transition for effective signal transmission from the
rectangular WR-15 waveguide components to different planar
microstrip devices in different applications including the
millimeter-wave communication systems.
REFERENCES
[1] W. Kim, C. H. Na, and D. S. Woo, “New Dielectric-Covered
Waveguide-to-Microstrip Transitions for Ka-band Transceivers,” IEEE
MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Dig., Vol. 2, pp. 1115-1118, June 2003.
[2] Y. Tikhov, J.-W. Moon, Y.-J. Kim, Y. Sinelnikov, “Refined
Characterization of E-plane Waveguide to Microstrip Transition for
Millimeter-Wave Applications,” Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference,
pp. 1187 – 1190, 2000.
[3] Y. C. Shih, T. N. Ton, and L. Q. Bui, “Waveguide-to-microstrip
transitions for millimeter-wave applications,” IEEE MTT-S Int. Symp.
Dig., vol. 1, pp. 473 - 475, 1988.
[4] Y. Lou, C. H. Chan, Q. Xue, “An In-Line Waveguide-to-Microstrip
Transition Using Radial-Shaped Probe,” IEEE Antennas and
Propagation Society International Symposium, pp. 3117 – 3120, 2007.
[5] H. W. Yao, A. Abdelmonem, J. F. Liang, and K. A. Zaki, “Analysis
and Design ofMicrostrip-to-Waveguide Transitions,” IEEE Trans.
Microwave Theory & Tech., Vol. 42, No. 12, pp. 2371-2380, Dec.
1994.
[6] W. Grabherr, B. Huder, and W. Menzel, “Microstrip to Waveguide
Transition Compatible With MM-Wave Integrated Circuits,” IEEE
Trans. Microwave Theory & Tech., Vol. 42, No. 9, pp. 1842-1843,
Sept. 1994.
[7] L. Hyvonen, and A. Hujanen, “A compact MMIC-compatible
microstrip to waveguide transition,” IEEE MTT-S Int. Microw. Symp.
Dig., June 1996, vol. 2, pp. 875–878.
[8] Z. Wang, L. Xia, B. Yan, R. Xu, and Y. Guo, “A Novel Waveguide to
Microstrip Transition in Millimeter-Wave LTCC Module,” IEEE 2007
International Symposium on Microwave, Antenna, Propagation, and
EMC Technologies for Wireless Communications, pp. 340-343,
August 2007.
[9] H. Y. Lee, D. S. Jun, S. E. Moon, E. K. Kim, J. H. Park, and K. H. Park,
“Wideband Aperture Coupled Stacked Patch Type Microstrip to
Waveguide Transition for V-band,” IEEE Proc. of Asia-Pacific
Microwave Conf., pp. 360-362, 2006.
[10] A. Artemenko, R. Maslennikov, A. Sevastyanov, V. Ssorin,
“Waveguide-microstrip transition for 60 GHz frequency band”, 19th
International Crimean Conference Microwave & Telecommunication
Technology, pp. 505-506, September 2009.